Exordium
by ToxicKittyCat1
Summary: Opening his eyes in the darkness, remembering nothing but his name, Harry is trapped in endless catacombs with no one, but his enemy as a companion. They are forced to participate in brutal test that would challenge them in drastic ways. (Non Slash)
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Neville (and... Unfortunately... Draco) had been trapped in eerie cave. They don't know why and by who, stuff get more complicated when they discover this cave isn't a coincidence, but a bloodthirsty test that would challenge them in drastic way. Question is who is behind this all, and answer isn't as easy as it seems.

* * *

Time 0:00

Sector 1: Opening

Observation: Participants get used to new environment, no anomalous results formed.

* * *

Harry.

* * *

Something smacked back of his head, vision went blurry, he heard shouts, his body crashed on the pavement. Annoying ringing sound invaded his was conscious, he could think, but his body disobeyed his orders.

He was lying on the cold floor, unable to stir or make a sound, he knew something was about to come, he knew it won't be good.

Then his body rushed upwards, spun aggressively, and slammed the floor again, this time he had landed on his jaw, nearly breaking it.

Coldness, bitter, freezing; those were first thoughts Harry had. His mentality still spun like crazy, and his body barely reacted to his orders.

He moved his hands over cold, rocky surface it was slippery and wet, similarly like the air he breathed in.

When fluids in his brain finally came to stillness, he moved himself to sitting position, noise of his shuffling echoed eerily.

Darkness, pitch black, gloom; were second thoughts he experienced. Was he blind? Nothing came to his vision, even after blinking and clearing his eyes few times in a row, nothing, just shapeless darkness.

Harry started to panic, he couldn't be blind, he couldn't! His eyes darted in all directions, but nothing appeared, just like in grave.

Grave... Weird thought slashed through his mind and his hands started to move in air, searching for corners or walls he could hold on to.

He placed both of his hands vertically from his body, they both met rocky, slippery walls.

_Where the heck I am_; he though, mouthing his words. Something that was wet, cold and rocky, maybe dungeons or cave.

_ How came I am here_; he thought again. This was far much harder to answer. Harry rested his back on one of the cave's walls.

What did I do to get here? Why I am here in the first place? Questions started to pop in and out without being answered, he tried to recall anything, but nothing came. Fear danced in his stomach and then raised to his throat where it had remained. Did someone washed his memory?

He tried to stabilise his anxiety, he breathed slowly, closed his eyes (without much difference in this darkness) and tried to recall anything that might've happened in the past.

Nothing came, just a bundle of information, clear and sharp, but nothing regarding being in a cave. He mouthed all he could remember:

_My name's Harry Potter, the boy who lived, I am 15 year old wizard, student of Hogwarts, my mentor is Albus Dumbledore, my enemy is Voldemort and the Death eaters. _

Then another thought came to his mind, maybe this entire cave is some sort of hijack, vision or dream created by the dark forces. Having this in mind his hands to the head inspecting the features, nose was there, hair also, glasses, he even smoothed his fingers over lighting shaped scar piercing his forehead. This is not a dream, he is himself, but why he here and why he doesn't remember why?

He sighed, best thing is not to panic, why should he panic? Nothing attacks him... Nothing helps him. What if he would remain in those caves forever?

Harry raised, carefully, supporting himself on both walls.

A tiny voice at the back of his head was whispering to _Lead... Lead the way out of this miserable place._ He started to grope, walking carefully.

Harry had once experienced similar situation, back there in Privet Drive his cousin Dudley, used to hide his glasses, making Harry totally visionless, then, poor Harry had to locate his way all around the house, even for few days, until he found his hidden glasses.

What would come would come, but for now, he would have to come to it.

Draco.

Anger, he was angry at someone, furious, fuming, he wanted to shred that someone into tiny pieces. Anger, rising anger... but at who and why?

That was only thing Draco remembered before falling into mysterious darkness. He knew his name and all, but nothing that would explain uncomfortable situation he was in.

Walls around him were wet, it stank, he didn't know how he looked like and there was no sign of his father or any line of support.

He started to panic, there was nothing else he could do. Closing his eyes he sprinted forward, somewhere, it was too dark to see.

_ Maybe it was just a nightmare? _

Cold air flashing his pale face and shattering his nicely, sorted white hair.

_I must look miserable!_ Those were his only thoughts._ I must find someone, someone I can follow. _

Then he stopped, something moved somewhere, not him, something else, he slowly moved towards source of the noise. Ad a tiny voice in his head whispered, follow... follow and obey.

Ginny.

Someone slammed her on a cold wall, she quickly spun to face the attacker but welcomed nothing but darkness, and lack of knowledge of any sort.

"The 'heck just happened?" She said, her voice echoed, bouncing from walls invisible in this sea of blackness.

Weird anxiety and caution had not left her body, she felt as she was being observed, thought of, evaluated.

"Is any soul here?" She roared, but only echo responded bringing the same message. It was pointless. What was a point of this thing anyway!? Is it some sort of a test, if it is she must be cautious about decisions she makes.

_ Get yourself sorted girl!_ She said to herself in her mind._ You cannot give up without fighting, you're a fighter, and you'll surely find a way out of this situation. _

She gave herself a nod and started proudly trudge towards shades.

End, nothing happened, we just introduced three main characters (two more to come), and so far... What do you think happened to this trio and what's the reasons behind it?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Time: 0:5

Observations: Nothing significant happens, object Lea and object Fol connect, Fig also recovers.

* * *

Harry

He moved slowly, step by step, until his heart came to halt. There was no ground when he moved his leg forward.

His muscles relaxed and he stepped back.

_ I might be on the edge of the cliff_, or, he tightened his support on walls and slowly moved his feet downwards, it touched another piece of ground. He sighed from happiness,_ those are stairs! _

Now with more security he started to move down the stairs. The steps were irregular, some longer, some shorter, making it almost impossible to walk.

Something slipped, his body spun downwards, hitting step after step, wall from right and left. He tried to stop the falling, but everything was too slippery to take a hold on to. Pain shot from all directions, and he felt miserable, helpless. Finally spinning downwards stopped, his body was lying immobilised on the ground, he was moaning from agony.

_ Is it a way I am going to die_? He thought to himself. _Alone, in this sea of darkness. _

Draco

_There's someone here?_ Hope raised in his veins, so he haven't landed in hell... Unless that someone is some bloodthirsty creature. His joy vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He slowly moved forward, here caves were lighter. They shone with weird green glow without a source, it seemed that walls were emitting that light, finally something came into sight.

He saw cluster of black clothes groaning and puffing as if it was hurt, just under weirdly looking staircase.

His sights haven't left the creature, he haven't moved closer through, he wasn't brave enough. Finally that cluster of cloaks spoke, it was imperial, but known voice. "Who's there?"

Ha haven't answered, fear had stolen his words, he just gaped.

The cluster faintly started to move, it started rising, wobbling a little.

Draco had a dilemma, to run or not to run.

Finally wearer of the cloak came into sight, and pure hater sprang to his mind... _It's because of him I am trapped here! _

Harry

Someone leaped onto him, shook him and clutched tightly.

"It's because of you is it!" That someone hissed, Harry quickly recognised that voice, and was furious for doing so. "What kind of weird games are you playing with me, huh, Potter?"

Harry was stronger than him, he caught his elbows and with all powers he could he pinned the attacker to the wall, then brutally forced attacker to eye him. His expression was layered with anger, but eyes filled with fear and mix, just like his. They stood in silence for a moment.

"What are you doing here?" Harry finally asked, his voice unusually calm, and finally (he haven't noticed this because of anger) he could see everything, dimly, but still, illuminating in weak greenish glow.

"What are YOU doing here?" Draco roared at him.

"I don't know..." He replied truthfully. "I don't remember anything..."

Silence had fallen again, finally anger eased from blonds face.

"Neither do I..." he said honestly, Harry released the tight grasp. Draco had taken advantage of it, with all powers he had, slammed Harry's body on opposite wall.

"What was THAT for?" Harry asks furiously.

Draco smirks, "I just felt like it." And then Harry leaped onto him and they just started to fight against each other: punch, rip, kick, for no reason, just to release anger. Soon enough, their energy was wiped out and panting, they stopped. Silence again, this time interrupted by loud breaths.

"Shuck, you damned my robes!" Draco hissed, inspecting his ripped clothing.

"Your robes?" Harry said mockingly.

"Who's then? You have identical ones as mine!" He pointed at him. Harry looked, indeed, they both were wearing simple dark clothes, very light and comfortable, with deep pockets. Recognising them, he quickly moved his hands, inspecting if there's anything hidden... Maybe a clue... To his surprise his skin touched cold, metallic subject, he jerked it out.

It was a locket, or looked like it, round and simple. Harry automatically moved it open, it was a compass, with red arrow pointing north.

"What's the reason in that?" He asked Draco, "Do you have anything inside-" his eyes raised and noticed that his companion already inspected small, iron box.

"At least you have something fun..." Draco said more to himself than to Harry, tilting small object between fingers, "I have some sort of boring box."

"Kidding? It's a lighter!" He laughed, Draco looked at Harry, mixed as ever. "Give it to me, I would li-"

Draco blocked his hands aggressively, he smirked, "My lightieer..."

Harry sighed and crossed hands over his chest, "You don't know how it works anyway..." Draco gave him sceptical look. "Just push the ladder, there should be small one and-"

Draco had already followed the instruction, now he was looking at straight, bright flame emitting from his lighter, young wizard gaped at it with fascination. His pale hand moved over to the warm flame, he slowly touched it and jerked away as it burned his skin. Harry shouldn't stop laughing.

"Put your nose in it, would do some good." He said trying block his giggles, Draco, annoyed, turned of his gift and threw it back to the pocket.

"Laugh more and you'll be flaming like the Phoenix of yours." Blond muttered with tone of amusement. "What kind of freak would give us some sort of lightieer thing and a compass?"

"Like you, compass and lighter, no connection what so ever..." Harry pointed out looking at the greenish cave, it ran only in one direction and looked natural, so signs of human nature. "Maybe there's something more to it... We would go on."

"Why not up the stairs?" His companion suggested.

"I came from there, so black that you can't see a damn." Harry said remembering uncomfortable darkness. Without another word, duo started to move forwards, deeper into the continuous caves.

Ginny

_This has to be some sort of test, yes, personality test, obedience test, whatever._ Ginny was thinking to herself, moving alone through dim corridors. _I feel like I am being watched, someone observes me, evaluates me, I can sense it. They want me to act on something, react to something, but what do they expect me to do? _

She continued to walk, searching for something that would remind her of a task or a quest. Nothing appeared, even endless caverns didn't have any twists and splits, so it is not a maze or labyrinth of some sort.

Never mind, whatever happens she has to act wisely, obedient, something that would surprise the observers... Who ever they are.

She came to halt, voices were echoing from somewhere, she easily recognised first one. Her heart halted, Harry!

Lighter and Compass, Dark Caves and weird feeling of being watched, nothing adds up... Or maybe?

Any ideas so far?

* * *

Thank you for first follow, remember to add reviews and favourites!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Time: 0:07

Observations: Everything moves unusually smoothly, I guess this experiment would prove nothing, unless I will kick up a notch of potential danger.

* * *

Ginny

She kept close to the wall, taking it as the cover. She was sure voice hard was belonging to him, her secret affection.

Ginny's hand automatically jerked to pockets, to grasp a wand, but her hand touched something else, heavier. It was a dagger.

She carefully grasped for the handle, taken it out slowly and started to inspect. It was sharp and shiny, brand new, seemed expensive with dragon patterns lightly cut into its blade. What is that weapon doing in my pocket? She looked up, imagining herself staring at her imaginary inspectors.

"Is that what you want me to do?" Barely heartless whisper came out from her scorched lungs, "Should I use this" she waved dagger, "against him?" Silence, only footsteps grew louder. Is that a test, maybe, I should obey the rules. What's the rule then?

Footsteps were closer, but not of one person, but two? Who was the one accompanying the Boy who lived?

Very concerning voice made her gasp, "Have you heard something?" It was harsh, aristocratic voice coming from blond, pure blood she loathed. What was Harry doing with him? The task is clear, she has to kill him, kill them both.

* * *

Draco

"Hear what?" Harry interrupted, is this brat really that deaf?

"A whisper." Draco whispers. Harry stopped and started to seek for noise, yes, he is idiot like Draco had thought he would be, clever people don't spend their time with someone like mud-bloods or Weasleys.

"You are making things up." He stated and continued to walk, pure blood followed him with grim expression.

Silence again, only continuous echoing sound of their steps.

"You know that the ones captured us aren't death eaters?" Draco said.

"Really," Harry gasped, with fake interest. "How are you sure about that?"

"Because pure bloods won't give us ligthieers, those are muggle stuff!" He stated surely, Harry raised his eyebrows, this time with real interest. "And won't capture one of them with someone like you, unless they want me to finish you off."

"Hah, maybe you're right." Boy who Lived agreed, "But anything that bad happens to me, is always because of your fellow Death Eaters. This darkness, dungeons, slipperiness and green glow is everything you fellow snakes like is it?"

The idiot was right, for the first time. "Whatever" Draco just waved his hand to ignore his fact. "That would back up the fact of you getting useless compass and me getting that fiery lightieer-"

"It's lighter!" He corrects aggressively.

"Still, what can you do with your little red arrow, I can ignite you when you're asleep." Blond talks constantly, keeping dark grim on his pointy face.

"I would keep an eye on you then..." Harry says, giving him cautious eye.

"Won't kill me?"

"No, I am not evil you know..."

Silence again, this time is Harry that halted unexpectedly, his companion did also. They stood lifeless lay for matter of seconds, when something fiery red moved in front of them.

"Ginny!" Was what Harry shouted happily, before she, with deadly facial expression and flaming hunger in her eyes, moved sharp weapon under he cloak.

* * *

Ginny

Like she had expected, Harry with his enemy. Is that even possible? Seeing them chatter and walk alongside without fight? This is not Harry, not Harry that she knew. This one is just magical projection, testing her on her obedience. She clutched the handle, her hands shaking. She always get stressed when he was around, with those piercing green eyes, and always untidy hair, this projection seemed so real.

He moved step forward, unsure. "Move closer and I would slash through your chest!" She warned him, pointing blade at his heart that was around six meters away.

"What did they do to you?" Harry whispered.

"They did nothing to me!" Giant gasps, they did nothing to her, they did something to him. "Now tell me, where's the real Harry and what type of test is that!"

"Real Harry? Test? She's nuts, not surprise, all gingers are like this." Pale slytherin sneered.

"You better shut up, or I'll have pleasure of doing so!" She commanded, unsure where her confidence came from.

"Ginny, you're wrong, this is the real me!" Harry states, or his projection does so. "What test you are talking about? Do you know why we are here?"

"No, I just guess. And stop persuading me, you fake projection!"

"Fake projection!?" Harry laughs, stepping forwards, brave as he always was, the projection portrayed real one very well. "Gin we also don't know what the hell is going on, but, hopefully it's not a test?"

"How I am supposed to trust you, huh?" Nasty smile spreads in her face.

"I really don't know, just listen, from where do you get the idea we are in some sort of test?" Weird question you chose to ask, projection.

"I just felt like it, most sensible answer I came up with!" And that weird feeling of being observed.

"From where did you get that knife?" He asks another question.

"It was in my pocket." She answers, he smilies, and takes something also out of his pockets, she clutched tighter on her weapon, thinking that he is about to take out another blade and duel with her. He, to her surprise takes out small metallic circle, which happens to be a compass.

"I also had so something inside, see, compass, I am not about to hurt you." He throws compass on the ground, metal falls with stud. "We also don't have idea what we are doing over here." He sounds so real, so reliable, she bits her upper lip, to trust or not to trust.

"We? What are you doing with him, huh?" She points at the blond, who goes even paler when She aims at him with her blade.

"Same what I am doing with you, I found him in the cave, he follows me since. Trust me, go with us, we all have something in our pockets, that should mean something, if you would kill me, we would never answer that."

She stares, sighs and hides the dagger back to the pocket, but does not let it go.

"Keep hand on your sword, I am allowing you to kill me I each time I look suspicious." He says. "For now, let's just go forwards, maybe there we would find answers."

She nods and he sighs, dagger leaves her grasp and lands in deep pockets.

Even if this is a test, she would not kill him, she prefers to fail that to lose him. And so, trio, continued through darkness.

* * *

How old the characters are?

They are 15, story is set from the middle of OOTP, they know ministry is their threat, Dark Lord had risen, Dumbledore is mysterious, Snape hacking minds and Harry had quitted with Cho.

thanks for follows

Lilly. F. Lux and darklemony!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Time: 0:09

Observations: Time to introduce new character

* * *

Observator

* * *

I look at them, like hawk watching a prey. One of them, the one that survives, would be assigned for a special task. By early observations I cannot distinguish who it would be, surely not the follower, he's much a coward, just as I thought, fighter is obedient and fierce, thinks too much, that can be a problem. Leader would remain leader, he has a different task.

I look at them three, at the fighter and follower trudging before leader. My mind had already appeared their pseudonyms. They just continue through greenish cave, I would change their environment soon. Water would suit them the most, they have to cool down.

Now, it's time to add someone new to the project. I look at the girl, with bushy hair, closed eyes as if sleeping in peaceful dream. It would be sin to wake up such an angel, well, life is tough.

I gave her pseudonym Teacher, forgetting how her previous one sounded. She would symbolise knowledge, she surely has lots of it.

I take out small flask of health potion, yes, she would use it cleverly. Teacher lies soundly on the bed as I pour glass with liquid to her dark pocket, before raising my wand and sending her to the caves, I wonder if it is safe. What if she would crack the code? Of course, I had deformed her memory, but she is witty. What if she would try to escape or trick the experiment? What if she would bring artificial results? I stare at her, then my wand spins and she vanishes, her body is somewhere far down in the magical caves.

* * *

Ginny.

* * *

She takes out her dagger and examines it closely, especially the detailed dragon carvings, as it would her give some sort of clue. Harry was doing the same, constantly looking at his compass that was only showing north. What's the use of compass if you haven't got a map?

Maybe her dagger is useless as well, maybe all their gifts are useless and random. She sighs and throws it back from where it came from.

"So..." Harry starts. "What was the last thought you remember.

She bites her lip, considering if she can tell the truth or lie. "I felt like I was fighting with someone, then it all faded and I was here."

He sighs, "Same happened to me."

"Do you also have that feeling?" She ask him, he seems to blush, but it is hard to tell in this shadows.

"What feeling?" He faces her, his green eyes piercing her soul.

"Like someone is constantly observing us?" She says looking up at the rocky celling.

"Yeah." He says, also looking up. "I am sort of used to stuff like this, but I can feel it as well, who do you think is observing us?"

She shrugs, "I call him observator, don't ask me why!"

He smiles, she does too. Then the world starts to shake. Walls tremble and rocks underneath their feet jump, as if caused by earthquake. Sound of water fills the caverns, as if one giant wave was coming to them from where they came from.

They all faced back, then quickly looked down as something cold swept down their feet, it was icy water.

"Something is coming." Draco mutters and instinctually breaks to the run, the other two do also. Water stabbing their skin, they continued, until reached a sloping cliff, too steep and too high to jump down. The sound of coming wave grew louder. Ginny looked back, wall of fuming water was coming at them, with such a speed it could break bones.

"We have to jump" Harry shouts then the boy jumps down the slope and slides down into darkish nothingness. Ginny hesitates looking down the slope and then at the coming wave. Draco stoops there, still as if carved in granite. A silent cry escapes her lips as she pulls boy down and falls down the slope with them. Sliding on cold walls, rocks cutting in their flesh, water like blood wetting their bodies, until they land on soft ground, like a moss, wet but safe. Wave seemed to change into fog, it evaporated and transformed itself into a murky cloud that accompanied them in the new foreign area.

* * *

Hermione

* * *

She wakened up from her sleep and was welcomed by darkness, somewhere she heard water running, and soft scent of aqua filled her nostrils. That wasn't a thing she was expecting. She yawned and stretched herself, until her mind was finally working as it should be.

Natural cave, probably two hundred metres below sea level, near the source, must be in a mountain judging by the rocks. Were her first observations, walls unusually sticky, smeared with some sort of chemical, that chemical dissolves quickly and has many nutrients, iron, salt, carotene, artificially made, used in vitamin tablets. Her finger went down the cave wall and she tasted the sticky substance rock was smeared with, the taste was our and proved her theory. Right, so, what I am doing down here?

There she was struck, she didn't know, that was really unusual, she hasn't got a clue considering her current residence. Panic shot down her throat, what the heck is going on? She held down to the wall, but she finally let it go when she heard that someone was speaking.

"Answers..." Hermione muttered to herself.

* * *

Draco.

* * *

He followed blindly chattering couple, they both were discussing last experiences and tried to come up with sensible answers. He doesn't contribute, he knows that it annoys them, he can see it in their eyes.

He keeps his distance, around six meters away from them. How he wished his friends were around, how he wished he had his fathers support.

He walked with his head down, white hair covering not-amused eyes.

They are now in yellowish caves, also wet, but not as slimy. You can hear torrents of waters splashing against each other.

Then the chatter stops. And pair in front of him comes to halt. Silence.

"Hermione-" Potter asks, hope in his tedious voice. Then something comes in sight, small girl with bushy hair. Hater rises In his veins. That mud-blood, know it all, annoying nerd. Don't ask me if we have to accompany her!

The pair jumps at the new girl, they hug and laugh, say sweet things, kiss in friendly fashion. That's real happiness, that's real friendship. But Draco could feel nothing but jealousy. He steps backward, to not spoil their fun.

"What are you doing here?" They ask her, spinning and laughing. Eye filled with new hopes and fresh spirits.

"Don't have idea! Me and lack of idea can you believe it?" She laughs, they all laugh, forgetting the serious situation, just like they were back at dormitories.

"Same as us!" Ginger adds. "Have you seen Ron?"

"He isn't with you?"

"Nah, there's only us and" they face him with disgust. "him"

"Ah..." She stares blankly. "So... All I know we are locked in a cave, me and you three."

"Easy to see..." Harry speaks. "And that we are weirdly observed."

"By someone I call observator, don't ask why!" Ginny laughs. "And that this observator want us to die!"

Nerd laughs, "he isn't, walls here are smeared with healthy sap that evaporates to our bodies to fulfil our nutrients. It blocks us for starving."

Harry and Ginny eye each other, "You're really clever girl you know that?" Nerd shrugs, spoil brat that one.

"Well, said observator tried to drown us a while ago... He didn't succeed through." Ginny speaks. "Wonder what is the reason for all this." She stops. "Hey what did you had I your pocket, what was your gift?"

Hermione looked awestruck. "Gift in pocket?" She said putting her palms I to pockets, and taking out a notebook with self inking quill. "Something I like!" Then they started chatter about all things we went through before, about knifes and compasses and dreams and visions. He had enough.

"Ok, we won't get anywhere if we would stay here and chatter!" Draco pushed through them. "Let's go, I don't want to face tsunami again!"

* * *

Thanks for follows! Ad what do you think, who is the observator?

Diyou have any questions?

And, sorry for little glitches, I haven't proff read it yet :)


	5. Chapter 5

Observations: 0:20

Results: Finally, individuals are showing differing emotion and motives. That was the thing I wanted to see, now, I need to think about a plan that would exclude the leader.

* * *

Ginny

"What would happen if we turn around?" Proposed Ginny, "we never tried it before."

To their surprise Draco was one to turn around and go backwards, lately he was acting hidden and quiet, like he was plotting something, and kept huge distance as Hermione appeared. Ginny gave him a cautious eye.

Draco walked a distance until he smashed onto something invisible and fell. That made Harry burst into uncontrollable laughter even when the situation was dire. Draco hissed and raised shakily to his feet and slammed into nothingness again.

"There's something blocking us." From coming back, "Some sort of a glass or..."

Hermione sprinted and slammed her fist into invisible blockade. Yet blue sparks raised, air crackled and force threw both of them on solid ground.

"A shielding charm?" Hermione suggested. "Guys there's a force filed following us." Harry walked towards them to inspect it, his arms touched nothing, a thin air, but he could not continue going, as if invisible glass, or a force filed was blocking him.

"Well, the filed is behind us and would follow us, meaning we cannot come back from where we came from." Everyone eyed the leader. "Only option is to go... Forward... And never look back."

* * *

Observator

I look at them from my hidden observatory, they don't know anything about my existence, but Know that they are being watched.

They know that they are trapped, I wonder if knowledge of that would affect my study... I don't think so... Let's continue with the scenario, what's next... Ah... Favourite of mine!

* * *

Harry

Appearance of Hermione gave them a lot of hope, she knows her stuff, she's like mother to Harry in dark situations, he is glad to have her around, also she keeps Draco at the distance what is a plus.

The fact of force field blocking their returning way didn't bothered him much, he wasn't sure why, maybe he was sure that they would find way out of this... Maze/nightmare/death/test/cave thing, is to go forward.

"Let's keep going shall we?" Girls and his nemesis followed him without a second word, he smiled, he was a good leader.

They walked alongside warm river without a source, and stopped as they reached the dead end. What! Dead end! This could not be over!

"Is that it?" Draco hissed behind them. "Trapped by field and wall with mud blood, farmer and idiot! Father help me!"

Harry slammed his fists on rocky surface, it was too thick to dig through, he looked at his compass, worthless as always. Hi bit his upper lip, everyone looked at him hopefully. But he could not think of a words that would support their desire for hope.

He slowly faced them. Wanting to say, this is over, we are going to die here, but words couldn't escape. He just spit out "let me think" but really he wasn't thinking, his mind was crying. They are really trapped in the middle of nowhere!

Then world started to crack, below his feet lighting shaped rows cut, more and more like on thin ice. The ground started to rumble and soon it snapped, letting entire four fall, down down into darkness, their fears muffled by their screams.

Falling was nothing like flying, Harry noticed, only thing those two have on common is letter F.

Wind blew and their bodies were accelerating to the glass like basement. They aren't going to die, they would just access another part of the cave.

Everybody painfully landed on shiny surface, they were still in a cave, but this one was made out of mirrors.

"Crystals!" Hermione exclaimed happily, raised and sprinted towards shiny surface. Entire cave was decorated with them, different shades and shapes, sizes and styles. Harry raised to his feet and trudged forward, seeing his tired reflection in different colours.

"How are crystals formed?" Harry asked Hermione, maybe this piece of info would add resolving puzzle to their jigsaw.

"The conditions for diamond formation to happen in the lithospheric mantle occur at considerable depth corresponding to the requirements of temperature and pressure. These depths are estimated between 140..." Hermione burst with extract from a book, none of words she said made any sense, he sighed and noticed that path in front of them continues to go forward.

"Guys, I know this place is pretty, but we have to keep going forward." He informed them and without any hesitation they started to move in desired direction. Lustrous carbons had indeed improved their mood. Harry looked forward to discovering more of the caves, Hermione was fascinated by their molecular structures, or something, Ginny searched for sharp ones that can be useful, while Draco, slowly following the group, tried to sneak some into his pockets and admired his looks once in a while. That made Harry roll his eyes, then world shook, again.

They stopped as if on command.

* * *

Observator

I never tried that spell before, hopefully it would work.

I raised my wand and observed as crystals in monitor started to move and change.

* * *

Ginny

"Guys, the diamonds, they... Move?" She quickly looked around the group, looking if anybody has a wand and creates magic causing this to occur, but no, no one held anything. "Who's doing this magic?"

There wasn't time for answer, crystals joined and sticked forming a great, moving structure that resembled a snake. It was made out of translucent crystals, only it's eyes were blood-red rubies. There was no need to command, all of them broke into a sprint.

Crystal snake charged at them, hissing and showing arrange of his diamond-sharp teethes. It snapped and leaped at ones close to him, trashing glass-like surface that acted like land.

They speeded up, air rustled in their ears, and Ginny herself felt like flying.

Snake charged, it was really close.

"Solid land!" She heard Harry shout. "In front of us."

Ginny then realised that glass surface she was running on started to crack, she had to reach Solid Land or she would fall into the darkness.

They ran, they were jumping distance from solid rock, ending the glass surface, with corner of her eyes she noted that Hermione slipped, and serpent was close to her, she quickly changed directions and ran towards the beast.

"I am fine!" She said stumbling to her feet. "Run! Run!"

Ginny snapped and returned to run into direction of Solid Land, surface beneath her started to crack and smash, she jumped and with outstretched arms reached for rocky surface, Harry caught her and dragged towards. Then her eyes moved to Hermione, she was still struggling on smashing glass, when she was about to take a leap forward, she let out a petrified scream which was drastically cut, as snakes jaw closed on her.

Crack, bones shattered and flesh was pierced.

Air was knocked out of Ginny, Hermione lifelessly hanged from serpents mouth. No, no, no, she could not die, she didn't deserved to! No!

Behind her a tiny voice mumbled, Ginny automatically jerked for her dagger and reached for her speaker, to her surprise it was Neville, shielding himself from her blade.

"Neville?" Harry asked, then looked at Hermione, or lump of flesh that once was Hermione.

* * *

Dun-dun-duuuun.

No, I am really upset about her death... Really!


End file.
